At one time or another, most of us have tried to find information to provide a solution to a problem or to satisfy curiosity. Not every attempt to find information can be called research, however.  Research is a process that requires a strategy and flexibility--it is a planned systematic approach, designed to uncover all important aspects of a subject.

The following guidelines outline a simple methodology for finding information in the library for a research assignment. Often your topic will dictate the necessary approach.  However, the key is to remain flexible enough to rethink and reformulate your ideas or strategies when successful results are not at first produced.
 

Identify the Topic

One of the most important initial steps in research is to identify the words or terms that best describe a particular topic. A good strategy is to state your topic as a question. For example, to find information about the effects of television on the eating habits of children, form a question such as: What effect does watching television have on eating habits of children? Identify the main concepts or keywords in question and use them to begin a search.

What effect does television have on the eating habits of children?

The main concepts are:

- television

- eating habits

- children

A clear description of the main ideas of a subject, such as in the example terms highlighted above, sets the boundaries or parameters of a search, focusing on essential information. In the library, use a Thesaurus or the Subject Headings List to determine the other terms or related terms to describe the main concepts.

After you have identified the main concepts of a topic, find some background information to establish the broad context of the subject and to provide a sense of some of the information that is already known. The basic starting points for background information are sources of established knowledge like subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, textbooks, and reviews of literature. These sources can provide helpful keywords, identifiers, or subject headings to use. Also, the additional sources cited in bibliographies and reference lists at the ends of articles are good starting points for further research.
     The librarians at the Reference Desk will help you find sources to get you started.

ZipLINK provides online access to the University of Akron Libraries' Collections. OhioLINK provides access to other university and college library catalogs throughout the state of Ohio. Use ZipLINK and OhioLINK to find books within the University of Akron and beyond.
To use the catalog effectively, use the Library of Congress Subject Headings to determine authorized subject headings or to list terms that come closest to representing a subject.
A keyword search can also retrieve books as well as help determine proper subject headings. Use the keyword search when a proper heading is not known. When a citation to a book is found that is relevant to the intended search, use the subject headings given to that book to retrieve other relevant books.
Print or write down the citation or the record information such as call number, author, title, the library where the book is located, etc.
Check the circulation status in the record to determine if the book is available.
Use the Call Numbers to determine the location of the book in the library. In Bierce Library, circulating books are shelved on the following floors according to call numbers:

• A - D    Ground Floor
• DA - H Second Floor
• J - Z     Third Floor

For a complete lesson on finding books, please link to the Tutorial section, How to Find Books. Click here.

• Periodical indexes and abstracts are systematic guides that list citations to and sometimes give summaries of magazine and journal articles. Indexes and abstracts organize articles in journals, magazines, and newspapers by subject and may be in print or computer-based formats, or both.
• The key to using periodical indexes and abstracts is to choose an index which is best suited to a particular topic. The library subscribes to hundreds of indexes and abstracts for finding journal and general interest magazine articles. Many of these indexes are electronic and can be accessed through the University Libraries' Gateway to Information.  Here is a direct link to many of the library's electronic periodical indexes, abstracts, and databases.
• Print or write out full citations for articles that are pertinent. A complete citation includes the name of the journal, volume & issue numbers, date, and page numbers. You will need a complete citation to locate the article in the library and to develop a bibliogarphy.
• Locate the periodical in the library by searching its title (not the title of the article!) on ZipLINK.
• The library provides access to an increasing number of journals which are available electronically in full-text.  Articles may be read online, printed, downloaded, or emailed.  To access many of the electronic journals provided by the library, please click here.

For a complete lesson on finding articles, please link to the Tutorial section, How to Find Magazine and Journal Articles.  Click here.
 

Find Information on the World Wide Web

        The World Wide Web can be a source of information on a great diversity of topics.  But beware:
because almost anyone with a computer can put information on the Internet--free from the watchful eye
of an editor or fact-checker--you can't expect everything you find on the Web to be accurate or free from substantial bias.  Also, because the  Internet is so vast, it is often difficult to sort through and find the information you desire.
          Various Web finding aids make finding and evaluating online information possible.  Use search engines like AltaVista and AskJeeves, when you need to find large numbers of Web sites.  Use Web directories like Yahoo! and Oingo when you wish to browse through lists of sites arranged in subject categories.  Use Web bibliographies like Argos Clearinghouse or Internet Public Library when you wish to find sites that have been selected for their high information value.

For a complete lesson on using the World Wide Web to find information, please link to the Tutorial section, Using the World Wide Web to Locate Resources.Click here.
 

Evaluate Information and Sources

Finding information is only part of the research process. As more and more information becomes available online and through shared library resources, analyzing and critically distinguishing the best and most relevant sources is a vital element of the research process.

• Note the quality of the source to determine its reliability. Information from primary sources or scholarly journals is generally more useful for in-depth research than information from secondary sources and general interest magazines.
• Determine if a particular source provides ample relevant information, and that the information is current enough for the particular needs of the research.
• If a search retrieves too many sources or too few sources, check the subject headings or descriptors for related terms that could produce better results.
• Check for special features such as bibliographies that contain additional sources or links to other pertinent information.
• Ask a librarian for further information about how to determine if a source is useful and appropriate.

For a complete lesson on evaluating sources, please link to the Tutorial section, Evaluating Information.  Click here.
 

Cite the Sources in a Standard Format

Several manuals are available for providing guidelines to creating a bibliography or a list of works. Although the style of each manual varies, choose a particular style that is appropriate to the subject and remain consistent in that format.

• Prepare a list of Works Cited or a Bibliography by following the guidelines of a particular style manual such as:
• MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations
• Chicago Manual of Style
• Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.

For a complete lesson on citing your sources, please link to the Tutorial section, How to Cite Sources.  Click here.

Ask a Reference Librarian

The Reference Librarians are at the library to offer assistance in finding information. Do not hesitate to consult with the librarians to help you find what you are looking for, or for the following:

• Getting started with a research project:
• Finding a topic.
• Clarifying the subject heading or descriptors associated with a topic.
• Sources for background information.
• Finding additional information.
• Determining what sources or databases to use.
• Evaluating sources and information.
• Making use of all of the library facilities.

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